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Hindu Philosophy and Temple System for APPSC Executive Officer · Chapter 5

Vedas, Upavedas, Upanishads and Vedangas

What to remember

  • There are four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. They are called Shruti ("what is heard") and are held to be of non-human origin (apaurusheya). Vyasa is traditionally said to have arranged them.
  • Each Veda has four parts: Samhita (hymns), Brahmana (ritual explanation), Aranyaka (forest texts) and Upanishad (philosophy). The Upanishads are the end of the Veda, called Vedanta.
  • There are six Vedangas and four Upavedas. Vedangas help to read and use the Veda. Upavedas are applied sciences and arts linked with the four Vedas.

The four Vedas

VedaNaturePriest in the yajnaKey points
Rig VedaHymns of praise (rik)HotriOldest Veda; 10 Mandalas; Gayatri Mantra (3rd Mandala, to Savitri, seen by Vishvamitra); Purusha Sukta and Nasadiya Sukta (10th Mandala)
Yajur VedaProse formulas for sacrifice (yajus)AdhvaryuTwo branches: Shukla (White) Yajurveda, with Vajasaneyi Samhita; and Krishna (Black) Yajurveda, with Taittiriya Samhita
Sama VedaMelodies (saman), mostly verses from the Rig VedaUdgatriSource of Indian classical music; chanted at the Soma rite
Atharva VedaCharms, healing, daily life and philosophyBrahma (overseer priest)Also called Brahma Veda; hymns on medicine, protection, kingship
  • The first three are called the Trayi (the triple Veda). The Atharva Veda was added as the fourth.
  • Each Veda has several shakhas (recensions). Many of the Telugu Vaidika families follow the Krishna Yajurveda (Taittiriya) tradition.
  • Vedic language is an old form of Sanskrit. The Veda was passed on by oral tradition. Special recital methods (pada, krama, jata and ghana) kept the text exact. The Vedic tradition has been recognised by UNESCO as an oral heritage.

Parts of each Veda

PartContentExamples
SamhitaMantras, hymnsRig Samhita, Taittiriya Samhita
BrahmanaMeaning and method of ritesAitareya (Rig), Shatapatha (Shukla Yajur), Taittiriya (Krishna Yajur), Panchavimsha (Sama)
AranyakaMeditation and inner meaning of rites, for forest dwellersAitareya Aranyaka, Taittiriya Aranyaka
UpanishadPhilosophy of Brahman and AtmanIsha, Kena, Katha and others
  • Karma Kanda is the ritual portion (Samhita and Brahmana). Jnana Kanda is the knowledge portion (Upanishads).

Upavedas

UpavedaSubjectLinked Veda (commonly given)
AyurvedaMedicine and life scienceRig Veda (some lists give Atharva)
DhanurvedaArchery and warfareYajur Veda
GandharvavedaMusic, song and danceSama Veda
Sthapatyaveda (Shilpa Shastra)Architecture and building; some lists give ArthashastraAtharva Veda
  • The links vary a little between texts. The key exam facts are the four subjects.
  • Ayurveda has the classical texts of Charaka (internal medicine) and Sushruta (surgery). Natya Shastra of Bharata is the main text on drama and dance and is sometimes called the fifth Veda.
  • Sthapatyaveda and the Shilpa Shastras guide temple design, so they matter to temple administration.

Vedangas (six limbs of the Veda)

VedangaSubjectFamous name
ShikshaPhonetics, pronunciationPratishakhyas
KalpaRitual rules (Shrauta, Grihya, Dharma and Shulba Sutras)Apastamba, Ashvalayana, Baudhayana
VyakaranaGrammarPanini (Ashtadhyayi)
NiruktaWord origin, meaning of Vedic wordsYaska
ChandasMetrePingala
JyotishaAstronomy, fixing the time for ritesLagadha (Vedanga Jyotisha)
  • Common memory image: Shiksha is the nose, Vyakarana the mouth, Kalpa the hands, Nirukta the ears, Chandas the feet and Jyotisha the eyes. Texts differ slightly, so learn the subjects, not the images.
  • The Shulba Sutras (part of Kalpa) hold early geometry for building altars.

Upanishads

  • The word Upanishad suggests "sitting near" a teacher. There are many Upanishads; a standard list counts 108 (the Muktika canon). Ten or eleven are called principal, and Adi Shankara wrote commentaries on most of them.
  • The principal Upanishads: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka (and often Shvetashvatara).
  • Key points:
  • Isha: the Lord pervades all things; belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda.
  • Kena: who moves the mind and senses; the story of Uma Haimavati.
  • Katha: Nachiketa and Yama; the nature of death and the Self.
  • Mundaka: "Satyameva Jayate" (truth alone wins) is taken from it; the two kinds of knowledge.
  • Mandukya: the shortest of the principal ones; explains Om and the four states of mind.
  • Taittiriya: five sheaths (pancha kosha) of the person and the bliss of Brahman.
  • Chandogya: story of Shvetaketu and "Tat tvam asi".
  • Brihadaranyaka: Yajnavalkya with Maitreyi and Gargi; "Aham Brahmasmi".
  • Four Mahavakyas (great sayings):

| Mahavakya | Meaning | Upanishad | Veda |

|---|---|---|---|

| Prajnanam Brahma | Consciousness is Brahman | Aitareya | Rig |

| Aham Brahmasmi | I am Brahman | Brihadaranyaka | Yajur |

| Tat tvam asi | You are That | Chandogya | Sama |

| Ayam Atma Brahma | This Self is Brahman | Mandukya | Atharva |

  • The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras together form the Prasthanatrayi (three bases of Vedanta).
  • Shruti means the Vedas and Upanishads. Smriti ("what is remembered") means Dharma Shastras like Manusmriti, the Itihasas and the Puranas.

Link to temple practice

  • Vedic mantras such as Purusha Sukta and Sri Sukta are chanted in temple worship. Vedic pandits and Vedic schools are supported in many temple-linked programmes.
  • Agama texts (next chapters) guide temple rituals, but they use Vedic ideas and mantras.

Study guide for the four Vedas

  • Rig Veda: the Rig Samhita is a collection of hymns to gods such as Agni, Indra, Soma, Varuna, Ushas and the Ashvins. Agni is the first deity praised (the first hymn begins with Agni). Indra has the largest number of hymns. The Purusha Sukta describes the cosmic person and is linked with the origin of the social orders. The Nasadiya Sukta asks how the world began.
  • Yajur Veda: the Shukla Yajurveda keeps the mantras separate from the Brahmana explanation. The Krishna Yajurveda mixes mantra and Brahmana. The Rudram and Chamakam, widely chanted in Shiva worship, are in the Yajurveda (Taittiriya).
  • Sama Veda: its tunes are called samans. The Sama Veda has two parts of verses (Archika) and the song section (Gana). Kauthuma, Jaiminiya and Ranayaniya are shakhas.
  • Atharva Veda: it is linked with the sages Atharvan and Angiras. It has charms for health and peace, hymns about the earth (Prithvi Sukta) and philosophy. The Mundaka, Prashna and Mandukya Upanishads belong to it.
  • The Vedic gods are mostly forces of nature. Later Hinduism gives more weight to Vishnu, Shiva and Devi, but the Vedic fire rite (Agni) stays at the heart of Hindu rites.

Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Smriti

  • The Brahmanas explain the meaning of rites and often give short myths. The Shatapatha Brahmana is the largest and includes the flood story of Manu.
  • The Aranyakas are meant for those who have left household life. They turn rites into inner meditation.
  • Smriti literature is later and human in origin. It includes the Dharma Sutras, the Dharma Shastras (Manu, Yajnavalkya, Parashara), the Itihasas and the Puranas. If Shruti and Smriti disagree, Shruti is held to be stronger.
  • The six orthodox schools of philosophy (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta) accept the authority of the Veda. Mimamsa is about the Karma Kanda; Vedanta is about the Jnana Kanda.

Exam traps

  • Rig Veda is the oldest. The Sama Veda is mostly Rig verses set to music.
  • The Gayatri Mantra is in the Rig Veda (3rd Mandala), not in the Yajur Veda.
  • Shukla Yajurveda has the Vajasaneyi Samhita; Krishna Yajurveda has the Taittiriya Samhita.
  • Hotri belongs to the Rig Veda, Adhvaryu to the Yajur Veda, Udgatri to the Sama Veda, and Brahma to the Atharva Veda.
  • The Vedangas are six; the Upavedas are four. Do not confuse them.
  • Ayurveda is an Upaveda, but Jyotisha is a Vedanga.
  • Mandukya is the shortest principal Upanishad, but it is not the first one.
  • "Satyameva Jayate" comes from the Mundaka Upanishad, not from the Katha Upanishad.
  • Tat tvam asi is Chandogya (Sama). Aham Brahmasmi is Brihadaranyaka (Yajur).

One-liners

  • 1. The four Vedas are Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva.
  • 2. The Vedas are called Shruti.
  • 3. The Rig Veda has 10 Mandalas.
  • 4. The Gayatri Mantra is in the third Mandala of the Rig Veda.
  • 5. Sama Veda is the root of Indian music.
  • 6. Atharva Veda is also called Brahma Veda.
  • 7. Taittiriya Samhita belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda.
  • 8. Panini wrote the Ashtadhyayi on grammar.
  • 9. Yaska wrote the Nirukta.
  • 10. Pingala is linked with Chandas (metre).
  • 11. Katha Upanishad has the story of Nachiketa and Yama.
  • 12. The Prasthanatrayi are the Upanishads, the Gita and the Brahma Sutras.

Practice questions

  1. Which is the oldest of the four Vedas?

    1. Yajur Veda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Atharva Veda
    4. Rig Veda
    Answer

    D. Rig Veda

    The Rig Veda is the oldest.

  2. Which Veda is mainly a collection of melodies?

    1. Rig Veda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Yajur Veda
    4. Atharva Veda
    Answer

    B. Sama Veda

    The Sama Veda sets verses to tunes.

  3. The Gayatri Mantra is found in which Veda?

    1. Rig Veda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Yajur Veda
    4. Atharva Veda
    Answer

    A. Rig Veda

    It is in the third Mandala of the Rig Veda.

  4. The Rig Veda is divided into how many Mandalas?

    1. 12
    2. 18
    3. 10
    4. 8
    Answer

    C. 10

    The Rig Veda has ten Mandalas.

  5. Which priest is linked with the Yajur Veda?

    1. Udgatri
    2. Hotri
    3. Brahma
    4. Adhvaryu
    Answer

    D. Adhvaryu

    Adhvaryu handles the Yajur formulas.

  6. Which priest chants the Sama Veda songs?

    1. Udgatri
    2. Hotri
    3. Adhvaryu
    4. Brahma
    Answer

    A. Udgatri

    Udgatri is the singer priest.

  7. The overseeing priest Brahma is linked with the

    1. Sama Veda
    2. Atharva Veda
    3. Rig Veda
    4. Yajur Veda
    Answer

    B. Atharva Veda

    Brahma is the supervising priest, linked with the Atharva Veda.

  8. The Taittiriya Samhita belongs to the

    1. Atharva Veda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Krishna Yajurveda
    4. Shukla Yajurveda
    Answer

    C. Krishna Yajurveda

    Taittiriya is the Krishna (Black) Yajurveda.

  9. The Vajasaneyi Samhita belongs to the

    1. Krishna Yajurveda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Rig Veda
    4. Shukla Yajurveda
    Answer

    D. Shukla Yajurveda

    Vajasaneyi is the Shukla (White) Yajurveda.

  10. Which Upaveda deals with medicine and life science?

    1. Ayurveda
    2. Sthapatyaveda
    3. Dhanurveda
    4. Gandharvaveda
    Answer

    A. Ayurveda

    Ayurveda is the Upaveda of medicine.

  11. Dhanurveda, an Upaveda, is about

    1. music and dance
    2. archery and warfare
    3. architecture
    4. astronomy
    Answer

    B. archery and warfare

    Dhanurveda is the science of archery and warfare.

  12. Gandharvaveda is the Upaveda of

    1. medicine
    2. farming
    3. music, song and dance
    4. archery
    Answer

    C. music, song and dance

    Gandharvaveda covers the arts of music.

  13. How many Vedangas are there?

    1. 4
    2. 6
    3. 8
    4. 10
    Answer

    B. 6

    There are six Vedangas.

  14. Which Vedanga deals with grammar?

    1. Chandas
    2. Shiksha
    3. Nirukta
    4. Vyakarana
    Answer

    D. Vyakarana

    Vyakarana is grammar.

  15. Who wrote the Ashtadhyayi?

    1. Pingala
    2. Yaska
    3. Panini
    4. Lagadha
    Answer

    C. Panini

    Panini is the author of the Sanskrit grammar Ashtadhyayi.

  16. The Nirukta, which explains Vedic words, is attributed to

    1. Pingala
    2. Panini
    3. Charaka
    4. Yaska
    Answer

    D. Yaska

    Yaska wrote the Nirukta.

  17. The Vedanga that studies metre is

    1. Chandas
    2. Kalpa
    3. Jyotisha
    4. Shiksha
    Answer

    A. Chandas

    Chandas is metre.

  18. The Vedanga Jyotisha is concerned with

    1. phonetics
    2. ritual rules
    3. grammar
    4. astronomy and fixing the time for rites
    Answer

    D. astronomy and fixing the time for rites

    Jyotisha fixes the right time for rites using astronomy.

  19. The Mahavakya Tat tvam asi is from the

    1. Chandogya Upanishad
    2. Mundaka Upanishad
    3. Isha Upanishad
    4. Katha Upanishad
    Answer

    A. Chandogya Upanishad

    Tat tvam asi is in the Chandogya, linked with the Sama Veda.

  20. The Mahavakya Aham Brahmasmi is found in the

    1. Mandukya Upanishad
    2. Aitareya Upanishad
    3. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
    4. Chandogya Upanishad
    Answer

    C. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

    It belongs to the Brihadaranyaka (Yajur Veda).

  21. The national motto Satyameva Jayate is taken from the

    1. Prashna Upanishad
    2. Mundaka Upanishad
    3. Kena Upanishad
    4. Katha Upanishad
    Answer

    B. Mundaka Upanishad

    It is from the Mundaka Upanishad.

  22. The story of Nachiketa and Yama is in the

    1. Katha Upanishad
    2. Kena Upanishad
    3. Mandukya Upanishad
    4. Isha Upanishad
    Answer

    A. Katha Upanishad

    Nachiketa meets Yama in the Katha Upanishad.

  23. The shortest of the principal Upanishads, explaining Om, is the

    1. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
    2. Taittiriya Upanishad
    3. Chandogya Upanishad
    4. Mandukya Upanishad
    Answer

    D. Mandukya Upanishad

    Mandukya has twelve verses and expounds Om.

  24. The Prasthanatrayi consists of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the

    1. Ramayana
    2. Puranas
    3. Bhagavad Gita
    4. Manusmriti
    Answer

    C. Bhagavad Gita

    The three bases of Vedanta are the Upanishads, Gita and Brahma Sutras.

  25. The word Shruti means

    1. what is argued
    2. what is heard
    3. what is remembered
    4. what is written
    Answer

    B. what is heard

    Shruti is the heard (revealed) tradition.

  26. The Aranyakas are texts mainly meant for

    1. forest dwellers, with inner meaning of rites
    2. kings and warriors
    3. physicians
    4. grammar students
    Answer

    A. forest dwellers, with inner meaning of rites

    Aranyakas turn rites into meditation.

  27. The Upanishads are also called Vedanta because they are

    1. about astronomy
    2. the end part of the Veda
    3. the first part of the Veda
    4. about grammar
    Answer

    B. the end part of the Veda

    Vedanta means the end of the Veda.

  28. The five sheaths (pancha kosha) are taught in the

    1. Mundaka Upanishad
    2. Kena Upanishad
    3. Taittiriya Upanishad
    4. Isha Upanishad
    Answer

    C. Taittiriya Upanishad

    The Taittiriya Upanishad teaches the pancha kosha.

  29. The sage who talks with Maitreyi and Gargi in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is

    1. Nachiketa
    2. Uddalaka
    3. Shvetaketu
    4. Yajnavalkya
    Answer

    D. Yajnavalkya

    Yajnavalkya is the great teacher there.

  30. The Purusha Sukta is in the

    1. Rig Veda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Atharva Veda
    4. Brahmanas only
    Answer

    A. Rig Veda

    It is hymn in the tenth Mandala of the Rig Veda.

  31. The Rudram, chanted in Shiva worship, belongs to the

    1. Atharva Veda
    2. Yajurveda
    3. Sama Veda
    4. Rig Veda
    Answer

    B. Yajurveda

    Rudram is in the Yajurveda (Taittiriya).

  32. The classic text on drama and dance, sometimes called the fifth Veda, is by

    1. Charaka
    2. Patanjali
    3. Bharata
    4. Panini
    Answer

    C. Bharata

    Bharata wrote the Natya Shastra.

  33. Sushruta is known for the classical work on

    1. astronomy
    2. grammar
    3. metre
    4. surgery
    Answer

    D. surgery

    The Sushruta Samhita is a surgery text.

  34. The Karma Kanda of the Veda refers to the

    1. knowledge portion
    2. medicine
    3. metre
    4. ritual portion
    Answer

    D. ritual portion

    Samhita and Brahmana make up the Karma Kanda.

  35. Which of the following is a Vedanga?

    1. Dhanurveda
    2. Nirukta
    3. Gandharvaveda
    4. Ayurveda
    Answer

    B. Nirukta

    Nirukta is a Vedanga; the others are Upavedas.

  36. Sthapatyaveda (Shilpa Shastra) concerns

    1. architecture and building
    2. music
    3. medicine
    4. archery
    Answer

    A. architecture and building

    It is the science of architecture and sculpture.

  37. The Aitareya Brahmana belongs to the

    1. Shukla Yajurveda
    2. Sama Veda
    3. Rig Veda
    4. Atharva Veda
    Answer

    C. Rig Veda

    Aitareya Brahmana is a Rig Vedic Brahmana.

  38. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Sama Veda mostly sets Rig Vedic verses to melody. 2. The Atharva Veda is also called the Brahma Veda.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  39. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Taittiriya Samhita belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda. 2. The Vajasaneyi Samhita belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    The two are the other way round.

  40. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Manusmriti is a part of Shruti. 2. The Upanishads form the end portion of the Vedas.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Manusmriti is Smriti.

  41. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. There are six Vedangas. 2. There are six Upavedas.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    There are four Upavedas.

  42. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Mandukya Upanishad explains Om. 2. The Isha Upanishad belongs to the Rig Veda.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Isha belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda.

  43. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Prajnanam Brahma is the Mahavakya of the Aitareya Upanishad. 2. Ayam Atma Brahma is the Mahavakya of the Mandukya Upanishad.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  44. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Gayatri Mantra is addressed to Savitri and is in the Rig Veda. 2. The Hotri priest is linked with the Atharva Veda.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Hotri is linked with the Rig Veda.

  45. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Panini is the author of the Vedanga on metre. 2. Pingala is the author of the Nirukta.

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    Panini is grammar; Pingala is metre; Yaska wrote the Nirukta.

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